


If I wait a thousand days

by Kagetsukai



Series: We're not in Kansas anymore [4]
Category: Dragon Age, Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Awkward Flirting, Awkward Romance, Cute, F/M, Fluff, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-17
Updated: 2017-09-17
Packaged: 2018-12-30 16:39:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12112851
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kagetsukai/pseuds/Kagetsukai
Summary: Commander Cullen gets invited to a celebration at the Herald's Rest and Inquisitor Lavellan is going to be there as well. He does not know that their friends and companions have a plan...





	If I wait a thousand days

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Star Nymph (Star_Nymph)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Star_Nymph/gifts).



> This was written for SecondSeal's Kissing Day celebration. To enhance the enjoyment of reading, I suggest listening to [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8iRgr6RnLc) song.
> 
> Prompt: Touching (pre-relationship)

Cullen had heard of the nights at the Herald’s Rest, where the members of the Inquisition’s inner circle got together to share stories and get unbelievably drunk, but he had never attended any of them himself. Not that he was against socializing, of course; every so often he would find himself at the tavern with his lieutenants in tow, drinking, laughing, and swapping barrack stories. The problem was that the constant guest of these parties was the Inquisitor and the sole thought of her piercing eyes on him made his chest constrict with lack of air.

“There’s a gathering at the tavern tonight. You should join us, Commander.”

Josephine’s voice had a interesting lilt to it and Cullen had a distinct impression she wasn’t giving him an option on the matter. The four of them stood around the war table, their meeting finished, and he could feel the pressure of their stares against his neck.

“I don’t think--”

“Everybody will be there, Commander,” Leliana added and briefly glanced at Eurydice.

The Inquisitor’s exotic eyes met his and for a second he felt the world fall away. In his youth, he had read poets speaking about love completely changing a man, but he never thought his life would become tinted with purple.

He realized he was yet to respond.

“I…” he hesitated.

Her eyes fell down to the table and she spoke in a shy, quiet voice.

“You don’t have to, if you don’t want to.”

Words were out of his mouth before he could stop them. “No, I’ll be there. I’ll come.”

Cullen could have sworn he saw a smug expressions on both Leliana and Josephine’s face, but in that moment all that mattered was how Eurydice had a ghost of a smile that brightened the shadows around her eyes.. 

When the time came to head for the tavern, he found himself fussing excessively with his appearance, especially uncertain of what he should wear. In the end he chose to leave his armor on, wanting to have at least one thing that made him feel comfortable. As he slowly stepped along the battlements towards the Herald’s Rest, he let the high winds cool his overheated skin; just thinking of the crowds he’d have to deal with made his temperature spike.

As he stepped through the door, he noted how the third story of the tavern didn’t have any patrons; people usually felt a presence there, invisible eyes watching from a corner, and most preferred brighter tables closer to the bar. Cullen felt certain that Cole would probably already be downstairs with the rest of the companions so he didn’t look around to see if he could spot the strange boy. In certain and almost-steady steps, he took the stairs and joined the chaos on the ground floor.

The inner circle had taken up an entire table to themselves and when he approached it, he could hear Varric recounting yet another one of Hawke’s tales that Cullen was fairly certain never happened. Instead of the usual chairs, benches had been pulled up to fit everybody and he tried to find a spot to sit down.

“Commander! You made it,” Dorian cried out loud. “Here, I saved you a spot next to me.”

The exclamation only briefly stuttered Varric’s tale, though he could tell a lot of eyes turned to watch him sit down.

“I’m glad you could make it. I know how much you hate coming to the tavern.”

Cullen shrugged. “I come here often enough. I just don’t like it when it’s this crowded.”

Dorian chuckled and took a long sip of his wine.

“People do like to come down here when they know the Inquisitor will make an appearance.”

The mention of Eurydice had Cullen quickly looking around the table, but the signature shock of white hair was nowhere to be found.

“She had to step outside for a moment,” Dorian supplied helpfully. “Something about having too much ale all at once. Should be back shortly.”

Cullen nodded, not willing to interpret the knowing smirk on the other man’s face. He flagged down one of the maids, asked for an ale, and willed himself to relax. Listening to Varric finish the story about Hawke riding a dragon’s head into its death made him smile and shake his head.

“Are any of these stories true?”

A soft voice at his elbow almost made Cullen jump out of his skin. He quickly turned in his seat, only to come face to face with Eurydice. 

“Inquisitor, I didn’t hear you--”

“There you are!” Dorian interjected. “Here, sit between us. I’m sure the Commander and myself can make enough space for your cute little arse.”

A few chuckles sounded next to them and Cullen’s ears prickled with embarrassment. He shifted closer to Josephine and tried his best to not think about Eurydice’s perfectly round and pert posterior.

“Thank you,” she said with a smile for the men around her and plopped down in the space provided. “But tell me, Cullen, how made up are Varric’s stories?”

Their thighs were touching, her scent assaulted his nose and Cullen had a hard time focusing his thoughts on anything other than her beautiful eyes.

“I must admit that I’m not as intimately familiar with Hawke’s exploits as you might think,” he admitted quietly, for her ears only. “I found it healthier for my sanity to keep out of her way.”

Eurydice giggled behind her hand and the sound immediately lifted corners of his mouth. 

“If even half of Varric’s stories are true, I think you made a good choice.”

Cullen actually chuckled at the sentiment and nodded in agreement. Before he could say anything else, his ale arrived and he leaned back to let the girl set the mug down in front of him. She was a pretty redhead and she definitely leaned in too much to give him a perfect view down her shirt; he politely turned away his face, hoping his face didn’t betray his discomfort. The moment she went away, he noticed how Eurydice’s face had fallen and she was staring down at her hands. He desperately needed to hear her laugh again.

“So, what’s the occasion for this get-together?” he intoned as he took a sip of his drink.

Eurydice shrugged and nodded in Varric’s direction again.

“It was his idea. Apparently Kirkwall celebrates a Kissing Day today and he wanted to get everyone here because, and I quote, people shouldn’t be alone on Kissing Day.”

It took all of Cullen’s willpower to not spit out the mouthful of ale he just took. With narrowed eyes he glanced around the table and caught several people giving him knowing looks, while Dorian shot him a very obvious wink. He tried his best not to groan, but it was a battle hard won. Of course; he should have known.

“That’s very thoughtful of him,” he commented through his teeth.

A ghost of a smile danced across her lips and she looked into his eyes.

“Have you ever celebrated a Kissing Day with anybody?” she asked innocently.

Sweet Maker, he was going to turn beet-red from this line of questioning, wasn’t he? In a valiant effort to keep his wits, he shook his head and took another sip of his ale.

“The Templar Order doesn’t explicitly forbid romance, but I have always been too focused on my duty to seek out company on Kissing Day,” he explained. “Plus, I am of the mind that romance should not be limited to one day only. I think love should be celebrated everyday, otherwise it means nothing.”

Cullen had no idea where these words were coming from, but he blamed the alcohol. He chanced a look down at Eurydice and his heart did a wonderful little flip in his chest: her eyes were still turned up at him, the purple irises glittering in the copious candle light, and her lips spread into a happy smile that turned his brain to mush. One sharp tooth lodged itself into the corner of her lip, drawing his eyes there, and he suddenly felt really, really warm.

“I am glad you feel that way,” she whispered and shyly looked down.

He was going to say something else, ask for clarification of her words, but all thoughts went silent the moment he felt her shift even closer to him, her thigh firmly pressed against his. And just when his night couldn’t get any better, he felt a tiny hand timidly loop his elbow. 

While Cullen used to be indifferent to this holiday, perhaps he could grow to enjoy Kissing Day, as long the day could be tinted with the shades of purple.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!!! Commends and kudos are my lifeblood :D
> 
> I am once again playing with babies that aren't my own :D They belong to Star_Nymph who is a fantastic writer and you should go check out her stories. Her fairytales will knock you flat on your ass :D


End file.
